Most public transit riders, US cities · 2020
US cities with the most workers commuting by public transportation, as of the 2020 American Community Survey. Ranked by number of commuters, not the transit share. New York, New York leads at 2,072,840. 6,811 cities qualify in total. Cities with fewer than 5,000 residents are excluded. California carries 5 of the top 25 entries.
UPDATED 2026-07-15 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS
Frequently asked
Which city has the highest transit commuters?
New York, New York ranks #1 with 2,072,840 (2020 Decennial Census).
What are the top 5 cities by transit commuters?
New York, New York, Chicago, Illinois, Los Angeles, California, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, San Francisco, California.
How many cities are in this ranking?
6,811 cities qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability (minimum 5,000 residents). The ranking covers 2020 Decennial Census data.
How is transit commuters measured?
Number of workers 16 and over who commuted by public transportation (ACS B08301). The raw-count companion to the transit share. Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census.